Spring assembly



Dw 1933. c. D. KARR 1,938,489

SPRING ASSEMBLY Filed June 20, 1932 21 77 21 Q? J6 22 Q 22 lfiv/zntar' %(7//QS D. .lCa/w Patented Dec. 5, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE This invention relates to spring asemblies and more particularly to spring assemblies for mattresses, cushions and the like.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for retaining spiral springs in assembled relation in such a manner as to prevent rotation and at the same time prevent choking of the springs during use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of new and improved means for connecting a plurality of spiral springs together for forming a spring assembly that is flexible and quiet in use.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. 1 is a plan view of a portion of the sprin assembly, with parts broken away; and

Fig. 2 is an elevation thereof, with parts in section and parts broken away.

In the construction of spring assemblies, it is necessary that the spiral springs be connected together in such a manner thatthey will not only be prevented from rotating and from moving apart a substantial amount, but it is also desirable that they should be so connected that during use they will be practically noiseless.

The present invention seeks to accomplish all of these advantageous results with a spring assembly composed of a minimum number of elements so constructed that the device may be prises a plurality of spiral springs 11 arranged in rows and secured together by. helicals 12 as will presently appear. Each spiral spring 11 has its terminal coil 13 at each end of the spring provided with the distorted portions 14 and 15 at opposite sides thereof. Since the arrangement at each end of the spring is the same, only the structure at one end thereof need be described.

The distorted portion 14 comprises an offset portion 16 which is preferably straight, and the distorted portion 15 comprises a sinuous or crimped portion 17 as clearly shown in Fig. l of the drawing.

Suitable means are provided for connecting the springs of adjacent rows together. As shown,

helicals or helical connecting coils 12 are employed for this purpose. The coils or turns of the helical are adapted to extend about the offset portion 16 and sinuous or crimped portion 1'7 of springs of adjacent rows. The offset and sinuous portions engage each other and are preferably, though not necessarily, lapped. They are held in engagement by the helicals. The overall width of the sinuous or crimped portion .17 and the diameter of the offset portion 16, constituting together an assembly of offset portions, is greater than the internal diameter of the helical so that these portions cannot be forced past each other after they are encircled by the helical.

Preferably, the width of the sinuous or crimped portion is such that the sinuous or crimped portions extend outwardly between the turns of the connecting helicals at opposite sides thereof for preventing removal of the sinuous or 7 crimped end from said helical.

By means of this arrangement, clicking of the springs is also prevented during the use of the assembly. This is considered an important feature of the invention.

.The offset portions 16 are of such shape as to forin the shoulders 18 and 19 at each end thereof. The shoulders 18 and 19 are adapted to be engaged by the coils of the helical 12 for preventing the rotation of the spring and 35 also for preventing the withdrawal of the free ends of the spring from the helical. The curved portions 21 of the sinuous or crimped portion 17 are so spaced apart and their overall width is such that they will extend between the coils of the helical 12 thereby providing shoulders for assisting in preventing the rotationof the spring.

As pointed out in certain of the appended claims, each of the bends or crimps of a crimped portion provides a pair of shoulders, one shoulder facing toward one end of the offset or distorted portion, and the other shoulder facing toward the opposite end of the portion. These shoulders may be regarded as facing forwardly and rearwardly, as distinguished from laterally. The outermost or tip point of each bend, midway between the forwardly and rearwardlydacing shoulders which constitute the bend, is regarded as facing laterally. Similarly, each turn of the helical may be regarded as having a for-5 wardly facing side and a rearwardly facing side. It will be evident that engagement of certain of the shoulders of the bends with a forwardly facing side and a rearwardly facing side of the m turns of the helical will prevent relative lengthwise movement of the parts, and it will also be evident that if the assembly contain means for preventing relative lateral movement of a crimped portion and the helical the prescribed engagement of the shoulders and the turns is made permanent. In the embodiment in which the invention is illustrated such means is provided by laterally oppositely extending crimps or bends.

By means of this arrangement, the springs are not only held at each side thereof from rotating, but they are so connected together that the overlapping portions are prevented from passing each other to cause clicking of the spring during the use of the assembly. Furthermore, since the free ends of the springs terminate within the helicals which are extensible, the springs may be said to have more or less free universal movement.

The sinuous or crimped portion 17 is preferably located at the end of the terminal coil and is so constructed that the extreme end 22 of the coil terminates within the helical 12 whereby the necessity for knotting the ends of the springs is eliminated. The springs 11 may be right or left, or all may be of the same type, .but preferably they are arranged rights and lefts so that when the assembly is tempered, the tendency of one type of spring to distort in one direction will be counteracted by the tendency of the other type of spring to distort in the opposite direction, so that the assembly as a whole will remain unchanged, and all of the spiral springs maintained in upright position.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a spring assembly, a plurality of spiral springs arranged in rows, each spring having its terminal coil provided with distorted portions at the opposite sides thereof, one of said distorted portions comprising an oifset portion and the other a sinuous portion, said sinuous portion and offset portions overlapping each other, and a helical extending about the overlapping portions of adjacent rows of springs, the curved portions of saidsinuous portion being spaced apart the distance between the coils of said helicals and overall width of said sinuous portion greater than the internal diameter of said helicals.

2. In combination, a plurality of spiral springs arranged in rows, each spring having a terminal coil provided with a distorted portion, said distorted portion having a plurality of sinuous curves therein, the distorted portion of one spring lapping a terminal coil of a contiguous spring of the adjacent row and a helical connecting member for encircling the entire lapped portions of said springs, said curves extending outwardly between the coils of said helical at opposite sides thereof for preventing rotation of the spring and for holding said terminal coils in lapped position.

In a spring'assembly, a plurality of rows of spiral springs-the terminal turns of said springs being provided with distorted portions at opposite sides thereof, the distorted portion of the terminal turn of each spring nearest the end thereof being composed of a series of curves forming an extended crimped portion, and the other distorted portion of each spiral spring comprising a straightened portion of the terminal turn of said spring, the crimped portions of the springs of one row engaging the straightened portions of the springs of an adjacent row, and helicals encircling said straightened portions and surrounding the crimped portions of said springs and holding the said crimped and straightened portions in engagement.

4. In a spring assembly, a plurality of rows of spiral springs the terminal turns of said springs being provided with distorted portions at opposite sides thereof, the distorted portion nearest the end of each terminal turn comprising a crimped portion, each bend of which comprises a forwardly facing shoulder and a rearwardly facing shoulder, the crimped portion of a spring of one row engaging a distorted portion of a spring of an adjacent row to provide an assembly of distorted portions, and a helical encircling said assembly, the bends of said assembly normally extending in substantially the same plane outwardly between the turns of said helical at opposite sides thereof, a forwardly facing shoulder and a rearwardly facing shoulder engaging turns of the encircling helical, whereby said helical holds said distorted portions of said springs in permanent engagement and prevents relative rotation and clicking of said springs.

5. In a spring assembly, a plurality of rows of spiral springs, said springs being provided with distorted portions bent from the terminal turns at opposite sides thereof, the distorted portion nearest the end of each terminal turn comprising a sinuous portion, the sinuous portion of a spring of one row engaging one side only of a distorted portion of a spring of an adjacent row to provide an assembly of distorted portions, and a helical encircling said assembly, the internal diameter of the helical being less than the greatest overall width of the assembly and certain of the bends of the assembly extending outwardly between turns of the helical and engaging forwardly and rearwardly facing sides of said turns, the helical thereby holding the distorted portions of the springs in permanent engagement and preventing relative rotation and clicking of the springs.

6. In a spring assembly having spiral springs arranged in rows, the springs having terminal turns provided with offsets and the offset nearest the end of each terminal turn having crimps lying in a single plane, the crimped offset portion of a spring of one row engaging an offset portion of a spring of an adjacent row only along points lying substantially in a line of the plane of one of the ofisets, providing a turning axis about which the offset portions are hinged with relation to one another and constituting an assembly of offsets, a helical encircling the assembly, certain of the crimps of said assembly extending outwardly between the turns of said helical and engaging a forwardly facing side of a turn and a rearwardly facing side of a turn, and means in the assembly for maintaining the crimps and the turns in said engagement by preventing relative lateral movement of a crimped portion and the helical, whereby said helical holds the offset portions in permanent engagement and prevents relative rotation and clicking of said springs.

CHARLES D. KARR. 

